| There is no denying it: Ottawa is known is | | | | were a variety of rest areas, food |
| one of the coldest capitals in the world | | | | concessions and special entertainment or |
| (only as far as temperatures are concerned | | | | information areas. Well represented of course |
| though). But does that mean you stay at home | | | | is a famous Ottawa trademark: the Beavertails |
| during the winter and mope? Absolutely not! | | | | concession booths which sell freshly made |
| Ottawa has turned a potential liability into | | | | warm pastry, sprinkled with sugar and |
| a key asset and really shows us how to | | | | cinnamon. The perfect snack and energy source |
| celebrate winter. | | | | on a cold winter's day. |
| | | | |
| First there is Winterlude, Ottawa's winter | | | | At the Via Rail Concord Station Rest Area an |
| festival, which is being held this year from | | | | exhibit shed light on Ottawa's railroad |
| February 3 to 19, 2006. Winterlude is | | | | history. Apparently many years ago, trains |
| apparently attended by more than 650,000 | | | | would arrive in downtown Ottawa right next to |
| winter revellers and encompasses a myriad of | | | | the Rideau Canal. At Fifth Avenue, young |
| events: concerts, special events, culinary | | | | sports fans were enjoying the Canadian Tire |
| demonstrations, restaurant festivals and the | | | | JUMPStart Activity Centre where they were |
| list goes on. Skating on the Rideau Skateway, | | | | jumping through the air on a trampoline |
| at almost 8 km the world's largest icerink., | | | | system and putting their hockey skills to the |
| was our main reason for coming to Ottawa. | | | | test. |
| Indeed we had travelled to Ottawa about 3 | | | | |
| years ago and due to warm weather Winterlude | | | | At Pig Island a special area with teepees was |
| was a total washout for us that year (I guess | | | | set up to get a taste of Aboriginal |
| the appropriate term for that event would be | | | | traditions, culture and cuisine. In addition |
| "Waterlude"). | | | | the area featured a loggers' exhibit, a |
| | | | snowshoe-making workshop and aboriginal songs |
| But our earlier experience didn't deter us, | | | | and drumming. |
| so this year Theresa and I decided to come | | | | |
| back and pray for better weather so we would | | | | Once arrived at Dow's Lake I went on to |
| indeed be able to check out this phenomenal | | | | explore the 26th Annual Bed Race, a |
| skating and entertainment venue for | | | | fundraising event which proved to be an |
| ourselves. | | | | absolutely hilarious experience, for a good |
| | | | cause no less. The Bed Race is organized by |
| Incidentally, the Rideau Canal Skateway has | | | | the Ottawa Kiwanis Club and the proceeds, |
| been recognized by the Guiness Book of World | | | | close to $50,000 will go towards the |
| Records as the world's largest naturally | | | | Children's Read-A-Thon. |
| frozen ice rink. The skateway is 7.8 | | | | |
| kilometers long and takes you from the Rideau | | | | A young hockey star tests his skills at the |
| Bridge all the way to Dow's Lake. | | | | Canadian Tire JumpStart Activity Centre |
| | | | |
| We got going early just around 10 am on an | | | | But I had more to cover, so I started skating |
| absolutely perfect winter day, but even at | | | | back towards the downtown and by this time |
| that time, the skateway was packed, and the | | | | the skateway had filled up quite a bit. It |
| walkthrough over the frozen ice from | | | | seemed like young and old, the whole family |
| Confederation Park to the skateway entrance | | | | was out. Parents were pulling their children |
| on the other side of the river was chock full | | | | on little sleds, or even pushing them in |
| with people in a long lineup. | | | | all-terrain baby carriages. Everybody was |
| | | | having a ton of fun. |
| We laced up our skates and put our boots in | | | | |
| our backbacks which would give us the | | | | On the way back one person struck my |
| flexibility to get off the ice at any time | | | | attention: a young lady on red skates with |
| and continue our explorations on foot. Or if | | | | red gloves and a red scarf was skating down |
| we got too tired, we could even hop on the | | | | the canal, juggling, apparently just having a |
| "Sno-Bus" which connects Dow's Lake with | | | | ball of a time. I approached her to find out |
| Confederation Park during the entire | | | | a bit about her. She introduced herself as |
| Winterlude Festival for the low fee of $2.50 | | | | Sylvie, and shared with me that she is part |
| (more information on the OC Transpo site) . | | | | of a juggling family and that juggling is in |
| | | | her blood. She said that juggling is her |
| But, apparently we didn't need a Sno-Bus, we | | | | life, and although she doesn't drive the |
| skated our way down on this wonderful natural | | | | fanciest car, she is happy because she gets |
| ice surface all the way to the lake and | | | | to do what she loves. |
| didn't even need to rest. On this gorgeous | | | | |
| day with crystal blue skies and perfect | | | | After all this skating I got really hungry, |
| winter weather and amazingly no winds, | | | | so I took off my skates and simply headed up |
| skating on the Rideau was a phenomenal | | | | to the Rideau Centre, one of Ottawa's biggest |
| experience. We could indeed not have picked a | | | | shopping centres. It is located right next to |
| better day to explore the Rideau Canal on | | | | the Canal and was positively packed on this |
| skates. | | | | day. The Rideau Centre offered a welcome |
| | | | opportunity to warm up and catch a nice lunch |
| At different intervals along the way there | | | | in its food court. |